Very Common
Related Observations
Your vet might choose this diagnostic test if you were making these observations.
Diagnostic
Tests or procedures used by your vet to determine what is wrong with your horse, in order to reach a diagnosis.
Cost: $100 to $500
These cost ranges are approximate and may vary from region to region.
Additional charges may also apply.
YOUR VET MAY PERFORM
Radiography, X-ray, Abdominal (in Adult)
Cost: $100 to $500
These cost ranges are approximate and may vary from region to region.
Additional charges may also apply.
Summary
Due to the massive size of the equine abdomen, radiography of this area requires a very powerful x-ray generator to penetrate and create a diagnostic image. These high output x-ray machines are generally found only in large university teaching hospitals and large private practices.
Abdominal radiographs in adult horses are mostly taken when sand accumulation or enteroliths are suspected.
While a horse is standing, a powerful x-ray generator, usually mounted on a track or rolling cart, is positioned on one side of the horse. An image capture plate (either x-ray cassette with film or digital image capture) is positioned on the other side. X-rays pass through the horse and expose the image capture device. As with much of equine radiography today, in most cases, a digital image is created.
Abdominal radiographs in adult horses are mostly taken when sand accumulation or enteroliths are suspected.
While a horse is standing, a powerful x-ray generator, usually mounted on a track or rolling cart, is positioned on one side of the horse. An image capture plate (either x-ray cassette with film or digital image capture) is positioned on the other side. X-rays pass through the horse and expose the image capture device. As with much of equine radiography today, in most cases, a digital image is created.
Why A Vet Chooses This Diagnostic
Related Diagnostics
Other diagnostic tests that might be used in combination or with this one or instead of this one.
Diagnoses Your Vet May Consider
This test could rule out or confirm any of the following diagnoses.
Rare
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Foreign Body in a Location, Generally
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Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome, EGUS (in Adult)
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Intestinal Foreign Body
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Ulcer, Gastro-Duodenal, Glandular Antral or Duodenal Ulcer (in Adult)
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Ruptured Stomach or Intestine
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Stomach Impaction
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Neoplasia, Tumor or Cancer, Stomach
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Peritonitis
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Chronic Undiagnosed Diarrhea in Adult Horses
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Small Colon Impaction
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Large Colon Mechanical Obstruction, Generally
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Stomach Outflow Obstruction
BENEFITS
This diagnostic is helpful in confirming or ruling out the presence of an enterolith or sand accumulation in the abdomen. Both enterolith and sand are called "radio-dense", meaning that they show up brightly on a radiograph because the x-rays penetrate them poorly. LIMITATIONS
The proper equipment needed for abdominal x-ray are usually only found at large teaching hospitals and private referral hospitals. Typical x-ray equipment does not have the power to penetrate the abdomen of an average adult horse abdomen.
Although this is a very useful technique for detecting enteroliths, it is also possible to miss an enterolith using this diagnostic.
Abdominal radiography has limited use in the adult horse for making diagnoses other than sand and enteroliths.
your role
Questions To Ask Your Vet:
- What are the chances that this technique fails to find an enterolith?
- What is the nearest facility that can provide this service?